Coating for a Rotating Plate

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a rotary plate of a spinning machine, in particular a section or a carding engine, for depositing a sliver in a canister, with a base body ( 2 ) and a band channel ( 3 ) arranged in the base body ( 2 ). In accordance with the invention, it is proposed that, when the rotary plate ( 1 ) is used as intended, the side of the rotary plate turned towards the rotary plate ( 1 ) features, at least partially, a coating ( 6 ) with a spatial configuration made of spherical, irregular elevations ( 11 ).

The present invention relates to a rotary plate and a method for producing the rotary plate for a spinning machine, in particular a segment or a carding engine, for depositing a sliver in a canister, with a base body and a band channel arranged in the base body.

DE 103 34 758 B4 discloses a rotary plate of a spinning machine, in particular a segment, a carding engine or a combing machine. During machine operation, the rotary plate and a sliver to be processed in the machine come into contact with one another. A lower surface of the rotary plate coming into contact with the sliver thereby features, at least in sections, a spatial configuration made of elevations and depressions, whereas the elevations are formed in a honeycomb shape. The spatial configuration generally serves to, upon contact of the rotary plate with the sliver, reduce the friction between them. Thereby, friction that is too high leads to, through a rotary movement of the rotary plate, an entrainment of fibers of the sliver, which is deposited in a container. Such entrainment can lead to uncontrolled depositing and damages to the sliver.

However, with such honeycomb elevations, it is disadvantageous that they were originally designed and validated for processing a special type of polyester. However, with the types of polyester used today by various manufacturers, with their properties that are different from each other, this effect of entrainment occurs in spite of the honeycomb-shaped elevations. Moreover, with other fiber materials (such as cotton), this negative effect occurs.

Thus, the task of the invention is to provide a spatial configuration on a rotary plate, which reduces the friction between the rotary plate and the sliver, and thus prevents the entrainment of fibers of various fiber materials with different properties.

The task is achieved by a rotary plate for a spinning machine and a method for producing the rotary plate according to the independent claims.

The invention relates to a rotary plate of a spinning machine, in particular a section or a carding engine, for depositing a sliver in a canister, with a base body and a band channel arranged in the base body.

In accordance with the invention, upon the intended use of the rotary plate, the side of the rotary plate turned towards the canister features, at least partially, a coating with a spatial configuration made of spherical, irregular elevations.

Thereby, the intended use of the rotary plate is generally that the rotary plate is arranged above the canister, and thereby performs a rotary movement around a vertical axis. As a rule, the canister is a cylindrical container that is closed downwards. Through an upper opening of the canister, a sliver is deposited in the canister.

The band channel is arranged in the base body of the rotary plate, through which band channel the sliver extends and is deposited in the canister. Usually, the coating comes into contact with the sliver already deposited in the canister. Due to the special coating with the spatial configuration made of spherical, irregular elevations, the entrainment of fibers of the sliver by the rotary plate is prevented. Through the spherical, irregular elevations, the contact surface between the coating and the sliver is reduced, since only one upper area of the spherical elevation comes into contact with the sliver and exerts only minor friction on the sliver.

In addition, it is advantageous if the coating is arranged on the base body and/or a cover, whereas the cover is attached to the side of the base body turned towards the canister. A coating directly on the base body accelerates the manufacturing process, reduces the material expenditure and thus saves total manufacturing costs. On the other hand, it can be additionally or alternatively advantageous if the coating is initially arranged on a separate cover. This simplifies the manufacturing process, since only the cover is required for the coating process, and the cover subsequently has to be attached only to the base body. Likewise, for repair purposes, the cover can be removed or completely replaced.

An additional advantage is that the cover is adhered to the base body, screwed into it and/or rolled into a groove on the base body by means of an edge projecting beyond the base body. An adhesion can be used to save manufacturing costs. A screw connection is used if the cover is to be detachably fastened to the base body. Moreover, a rolling of the protruding edge into a groove on the base body is easy to carry out with a machine.

It is particularly advantageous if the coating is formed in sections on the base body and/or the cover, in particular in a manner distanced from the edge on which the cover is rolled. Thus, costs can be saved, since only a smaller area of the cover and/or the base body is coated. In addition, it is ensured that the coated area is no longer deformed by a deformation after the coating, and thus the coating is not damaged.

In addition, it is advantageous if the coating is formed from at least one base layer, structure layer and/or cover layer. A base layer is generally required to form a defined substrate for the structure layer. Thus, the base layer compensates for, for example, the rougher unevenness of the base body, and forms a smooth surface on which the structure layer can be applied.

The structure layer forms the spatial configuration made of spherical, irregular elevations.

The cover layer is applied to protect the structure layer from wear. With a protective cover layer over the structure layer, it is conceivable, for example, to form the structure layer from a softer material in order to simplify the manufacturing process. In general, it is, of course, conceivable that the base layer, the structure layer and/or the cover layer are formed from different materials.

The use of a base layer and/or a cover layer can also be dispensed with.

If the coating is formed from chromium and/or a chromium alloy, this also has advantages. The coating of such a material is particularly resistant to signs of wear. In addition, the chromium and/or the chromium alloy can be easily cleaned or polished.

An additional advantage is that the elevations feature an extension in the range from 0.1 μm to 10 μm, in particular 0.6 μm to 4 μm. In the case of an extension of the elevations in this size range, there is an effect on the sliver that is similar to the lotus effect known from nature. The intermediate spaces between the elevations are too small for the sliver or its fibers to be able to interlock between them. This prevents the entrainment of the fibers of the sliver through the intermediate spaces. However, the elevations are arranged and dimensioned such that an air cushion can form in the intermediate spaces. This air cushion can also pass over the elevations, such that the sliver comes into contact with the coating only indirectly by means of the air cushion. The air cushion ultimately leads to a reduction in the sliding friction, and the entrainment is prevented.

The invention also relates to a method for producing a rotary plate of a spinning machine, in particular of a segment or carding engine, for depositing a sliver in a canister, with a base body and a band channel arranged in the base body.

In accordance with the invention, at least one coating with a spatial configuration made of spherical, irregular elevations is applied at least partially on the side of the rotary plate turned towards the canister, when the rotary teller is used as intended. By applying the coating with a spatial configuration made of spherical, irregular elevations, the entrainment of the sliver or its fibers through the rotary plate is prevented.

A particular advantage is that the coating is arranged on the base body and/or a cover, whereas the cover is attached to the side of the base body turned towards the canister. If the coating is arranged on the base body, this leads to a cost savings through material savings and more rapid production. If, however, the coating is applied to the cover, this leads to a more simple coating process, since only the cover is required for the coating process. The cover can then be attached to the base body through simple work steps.

In addition, it is advantageous if the cover is adhered to the base body. The bonding is a simple and rapid process, since neither the cover nor the base body need be treated through several work steps.

In addition or alternatively, the cover can, of course, also be screwed to the base body. This method can be used to adjust the cover, for example, for maintenance purposes. This also makes it possible to replace the complete cover.

Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible for the cover to be rolled into a groove on the base body by means of an edge that protrudes through the base body. Thereby, it is advantageous that the rolling can be carried out simply with a machine, thus also saving production time and costs.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the coating is formed in sections on the base body and/or the cover, in particular in a manner distanced from the edge on which the cover is rolled. Thus, costs can be saved, since only a smaller surface of the cover and/or the base body is coated, and damage to the coating during the deformation of the cover is prevented.

It is particularly advantageous if the coating is formed from at least one base layer, structure layer and/or cover layer. Thereby, the base layer serves as a substrate for the structure layer. The base layer also fulfills the purpose of compensating for possible unevenness in the underlying material of the base body or of the cover. The base layer forms a smooth surface for the structure layer. The structure layer includes the spatial configuration made of spherical, irregular elevations and is applied thereto following the base layer. A final cover layer is applied as the last step, and serves to “seal” or generally protect the structure layer from external effects.

Thereby, the methods for applying the respective layers are as follows. The base layer can be applied through a conventional electroplating process. However, it is also conceivable to use a gas separation process, chromating or other methods with which a suitable base layer can be produced.

The application of the structure layer is carried out in a sealed reactor. Thereby, the method of galvanic chromium deposition is also used. With this process for producing the structure layer, the properties of nucleation processes are utilized. On the base layer, seed cells form gradually; they increase in spherical form with the duration of the process. The irregular structure of the elevations is caused by a random emergence of the seed cells on the base layer. By changing the physical parameters in the reactor, the extension, distribution on the surface, rate of growth or the like of the elevations can be controlled. Thus, for example, the temperature within the reactor affects the rate of growth of the elevations. The reproducibility of the structure layer is then achieved by the same physical parameters being set for each method. By means of this method, a high degree of dimensional accuracy is also achieved.

A cover layer is finally applied by various methods, similar to those of the base layer. It should be noted here that the cover layer is not applied too thick, since, otherwise, the intended elevations (and the intermediate recesses) are compensated with the cover layer.

If the coating is formed from chromium and/or a chromium alloy, this also has advantages. The advantages of “chrome plating” are the wear resistance and resistance to various aggressive gases and liquids.

Further advantages of the invention are described in the following embodiments. The following is shown:

FIG. 1 a schematic structure of a rotary plate,

FIG. 2a a cross-section of a coating with spherical, irregular elevations,

FIG. 2b a cross-section of a coating with a smaller number of spherical, irregular elevations and

FIG. 3 a cut-out of an edge area of a rotary plate with a cover and a coating.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic structure of a rotary plate 1. Thereby, the rotary plate 1 consists of a base body 2 and a band channel 3 arranged in the base body 2. A sliver (not shown here) is guided through the band channel 3 and leaves the rotary plate 1 downwards through an opening 4 of the band channel 3 and of the base body 2. A cover 5 is fastened to the base body 2 on the underside of the rotary plate 1 and also features the opening 4. This underside is the side that is turned towards a canister when the rotary plate 1 is used as intended. A coating 6, which is described in more detail in FIG. 2, is applied to the lower surface or the underside of the cover 5.

FIG. 2a shows a cross-section of the coating 6 with spherical, irregular elevations 11. The coating 6 is applied to a substrate material 7. Thereby, the substrate material 7 can be part of the cover 5 or part of the base body 2. The coating 6 features three individual layers, namely a base layer 8, a structure layer 9 and a cover layer 10. The base layer 8 adheres to the substrate material 7, and serves, for example, as a carrier layer for the structure layer 9 or compensates for the unevenness of the substrate material 7. The structure layer 9 with the spherical, irregular elevations 11 is applied to the base layer 8. As can be seen, the elevations 11 feature different sizes. The cover layer 10 closes the coating 6 to the outside.

FIG. 2b shows a similar cross-section of the coating 6 as shown in FIG. 2a . Therefore, the same components as those in FIG. 2a are not addressed here. However, the elevations 11 are arranged less tightly on the base layer 8; that is, the number of elevations 11 per surface area is less than that in FIG. 2a . In each case, two elevations 11 can feature a spacing, which can be in the range of several orders of magnitude of an average elevation 11. If an average elevation 11 features an extension in the range of, for example, 5 μm, the spacing between two elevations 11 can amount to, for example, 50 μm. However, it is also conceivable for the spacing between two elevations 11 to feature only a fraction of the extent of an elevation 11. Thus, for example, it is also possible that the spacing between two elevations 11 amounts to only 1-2 μm or even less.

FIG. 3 shows a cut-out of an edge area of the rotary plate 1 with the cover 5. A groove 12 is arranged in an edge area of the base body 2 of the rotary plate 1. The cover 5 is attached to the base body 2 by the sides of the cover 5 being rolled into the groove 12. The coating 6, which is shown only as indicated on the basis of its small extension in comparison to the rotary plate 1, is arranged on the cover 5. However, the coating 6 does not reach the area in which the cover 5 is rolled. Thus, this is a section in which no coating 6 is arranged.

This invention is not limited to the illustrated and described embodiments. Variations within the scope of the claims, just as the combination of characteristics, are possible, even if they are illustrated and described in different embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   1 Rotary plate -   2 Base body -   3 Band channel -   4 Opening -   5 Cover -   6 Coating -   7 Substrate material -   8 Base layer -   9 Structure layer -   10 Cover layer -   11 Elevations -   12 Groove 

1. Rotary plate of a spinning machine, in particular a section or a carding engine, for depositing a sliver in a canister, with a base body (2) and a band channel (3) arranged in the base body (2), characterized in that, upon the intended use of the rotary plate (1), the side of the rotary plate (1) turned towards the canister features, at least partially, a coating (6) with a spatial configuration made of spherical, irregular elevations (11). 2-13. (canceled) 